Dems May Now Be Putting Gun Control on the Back Burner…Especially After AOC Issued This Threat to Moderates

After passing two pieces of gun control legislation in two days, marking the first time the House passed a major gun bill in decades, House Democrats may now be putting their other gun control ideas on the back burner, at least for a few months.

According to Lindsey McPherson of Roll Call, Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) told the outlet that his panel would be considering more gun control bills in this session “but not immediately.” He went on to state that any legislation would most likely come “after June sometime.”

With gun control being a primary campaign talking point for Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterms, Democrats put their foot on the gas at the start of the 116th Congress, passing a universal background check bill and a bill that extends the amount of time the Federal Bureau of Investigation has to conduct background checks.

Though both pieces of legislation are expected to fail in the Senate, the statement from Rep. Nadler may come as a surprise to many, as Democrats hold the majority in the House and can pass legislation at will.

The passage of the gun control legislation didn’t come without some hiccups for Democrats, however. Through a Motion to Recommit, House Republicans, much to the disdain of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), were able to amend the universal background check legislation to require the notification of ICE if an illegal immigrant attempts to purchase a firearm.

As Tom wrote earlier today, Speaker Pelosi’s goal of keeping the Democratic Party firmly anti-gun may have consequences for moderate House Democrats during the 2020 elections.

According to The Washington Post, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez went further than Speaker Pelosi’s initial admonition of Democrats who are not completely falling in line. The new, young representative from New York, who Democratic Committee Chairman Tom Perez referred to as the “future of [the Democratic] Party,” may start compiling a list of moderate Democrats who voted for the Republican amendment.

However, in a tweet replying to Chris Sommerfeldt of New York Daily News, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez claimed the statement that moderate Democrats may be “putting themselves on a list” didn’t refer to a list for primary challenges.

I didn’t say that they were putting themselves on a list for primaries.

I said that by Dems distinguishing themselves by breaking off on procedural MTR votes, they were inadvertently making a list of targets for the GOP and for progressive advocates on their pro-ICE vote.

But according to The Washington Post, her spokesman, Corbin Trent stated, “[AOC] said that when activists ask her why she had to vote for a gun safety bill that” they didn’t like, “they’re going to want a list of names and she’s going to give it to them.”

It doesn’t sound like Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is going to be very supportive.

Micah Rate is a graduate of the University of South Florida, an alumnus of the National Journalism Center, and a Digital Content Producer for Townhall. You can follow him on Twitter @Micah_Rate.
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